Diversity, distribution, ecology and description rates of alpine endemic plant species from Iranian mountains

Mountain ranges cover around one-half of the territory of Iran. Although it is well-known that these mountains are characterized by high levels of endemism, no assessment of vascular plant endemism of Iranian mountains has been made. Here, we undertake a first analysis of the diversity and biogeography of high-altitude (=taxa, whose elevational distribution ranges are entirely or largely above 2500 m a.s.l.) endemic vascular plant species...